Smile
by ShadowDragoon32
Summary: "My goal is still to get you to smile." I grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Meh, good luck with that." Happy Birthday, Stabby


**Disclaimer: No. Just, no.**

**Author's Note: Yo, a birthday fic for my buddy and fellow member of the Platinum Duo/Golden Trio, Stabberz. He's awesome, feel free to check out his stuff, haha. This also takes place in Unova to celebrate the release of Black and White. :D **

**Smile**

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"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we're lost, Anna."

"No. We're. Not. Now be quiet, I'm concentrating."

"On _what_?"

"Stuff."

"Yep, we're definitely lost.

"Oh, this is fucking stupid." My red headed companion and I both paused, looking behind us at our sulky friend. His arms were crossed and a scowl was clearly written across what could be seen of his face – part of it was covered by a sweep of jet black hair, hiding one of his eyes from view. He was radiating an aura of cold irritation in waves, giving the temperature a frigid edge.

"What's up, Ven?" I asked, turning to face my friend. My pale blue eyes met his pitch black orbs, friendly warmth combating cold indifference.

"All of this," he replied with a gesture. "This is all totally unnecessary, and more of a hassle than it's really worth." His gesture was directed toward the dark, derelict forest we were situated in. Pinwheel Forest was not a very friendly place once a person ventured deeper into the thick growth; it was overgrown and shadowy, every bush seeming to rustle with a hidden Pokémon, preparing to make an ambush. However, we weren't that worried about the Pokémon. Although Pinwheel Forest seemed ominous, the Pokémon that inhabited it were weak, and easily taken out by Ven's Zoroark. The dark, bipedal fox was skulking in the shadows, much like his master, and I could feel his baleful red eyes burning into the back of my neck.

"But, Ven, it's your birthday!" was my eloquent reply, an annoyingly happy smile plastered onto my face. This seemed to irritate Ven even more, as he mumbled an irate answer under his breath that I couldn't quite catch.

"Yep, this is what I'd call an excellent birthday," said my third friend, clearly being sarcastic. His name was Elric Manner, the eldest of three of us, although not always the most mature (I really shouldn't talk, though, as I'm a dead ringer for last in the maturity department). He was tall, muscular, and rough, with jagged red hair and golden yellow eyes. He dressed in baggy, black and white clothes, dark red and grey cargo pants sagging at his waist. Elric was something of an intermediate between Ven and I – I wore white clothes edged in gold threading, while Ven was dressed completely in black. That was a good word to sum up Ven in a nutshell – black.

"Hey, I thought this would make a great birthday present! How was I supposed to know we'd get lost," I said, shaking a strand of strawberry blonde hair from my freckled face. Elric scratched his stubble, black-and-orange woolly hat shifting slightly. How he managed to wear them, along with his trusty pair of Go-Goggles, without overheating, I'd never know.

"The only reason you thought this up was because you completely forgot to get Ven a present, and Pinwheel Forest was conveniently nearby," Elric said with a teasing smile, and I deflated in the same manner (ha. Manner. That's Elric's last name) as a balloon.

"But… picnics are fun," I said rather pathetically, brandishing the now empty basket I'd been carrying with me. In it rolled the one Pokéball I'd elected to bring with me – just in case. You could never be too careful, a fact that Ven had drilled into my head in the year we'd traveled Unova together.

"You didn't need to bother," Ven muttered, still sulking a little ways behind us.

"Oh, stop whining, emo-boy. Most people would be happy that it's their birthday," Elric said jocularly, and Ven gave him a cold glare.

"Probably because they're at home, not stuck in some stupid forest, hat-fetish man," he retorted, a faint, challenging grin tugging insistently at his solemn mouth.

"Hey, hey, let's not fight," I said, cutting off Elric's retort. As amusing as my friend's arguments could be, we really did need to find a way out of this stupid forest. We'd been wandering around it for the better part of an hour, and tempers were growing increasingly short. Although they were being playful now, it could easily erupt into something much more… unpleasant.

"Yeah, okay, Anna," Elric said with a yawn, while Ven shrugged. There was a squeal of pain as Zoroark took down what sounded suspiciously like a Venipede, followed by an abrupt yelp of pain on the dark type's part. Startled, Elric and I exchanged glances while Ven whirled about to locate his Pokémon. Moment later it came flying out of the brush, slamming up against a tree trunk. Startled, Elric and I both grappled for our Pokéballs as Ven ran over to his Pokémon. Zoroark appeared to be okay, thankfully, stumbling to his feet with a bemused shake of his head.

"Tobias!"

"Castor!"

Both our Pokémon appeared in a blast of bright light; mine, Tobias, circled above our heads, while Elric's, Castor the Carracosta, looked around with intense, dark eyes. I gave Elric a look.

"Really? In a _forest_?" I said disbelievingly, and Elric grinned.

"Hey, it'll make things interesting," he said, patting the large blue turtle on its rigid black shell. My Braviary let out a caw of warning, the red and blue bird's sharp golden eyes picking something out from the shadows. Out bounded a graceful green, deer-like creature with a delicate muzzle. My eyes widened as I whipped out my Pokédex, which promptly identified the creature.

"That's a Virizion – holy crap, it's a Legendary!" I shouted. At the sound of my voice, the creature practically changed direction in midair, attempting to get away from us. Now that just wouldn't do. In my mind, I'd already decided that I'd capture the thing and then give it to Ven as a birthday present. Then that would make up for the whole getting lost fiasco.

"Tobias, cut it off with an Aerial Ace," I called. The hawk-like Pokémon obeyed, moving forward in a blur of blue-white speed. He arced in front of the Virizion, slashing its chest with razor sharp wings, and causing it to let out a shrill cry of pain as it stumbled backward.

"Zoroark, use Night Daze," Ven instructed, cold fury creeping into his voice. I knew him to be annoyed by the fact that his Pokémon had been so easily bested by this creature.

"Castor, hit it with a Toxic," Elric added in, eager to join the fray. Zoroark let out a low, vicious snarl, before letting lose a miasma-like black projectile at the Virizion. Castor shuddered, his rubbery blue skin convulsing, before a globular, purple orb exploded from his beak. Both flew through the air, faster than an arrow, but the Virizion was faster. With a cry harsh cry it bounded away, the air around it beginning to shimmer a soft white color (Tobias also had to move pretty quickly to get out of the way of the incoming blasts, having been in the line of fire as well).

"Aerial Ace again, Tobias," I said, grinning as I pulled an empty Pokéball from my pocket. Tobias attempted to streak off after the fleeing creature, but some invisible force seemed to be stopping him from moving.

"It put up a Quick Guard!" Elric called, realizing what had happened. But by then it was too late – the Virizion had vanished into the thick underbrush, most likely never to be seen (by us, at least) again.

And so just like that, it was over.

"Aw, man," I complained. I then turned to give Ven an apologetic look. "Sorry, man, I was hoping I could catch it for you." Ven just shrugged, busy checking over his Zoroark, who had suffered the worst injuries in the short skirmish.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't have wanted something that wasn't a dark type, anyway," he said jokingly, and we all laughed. Suddenly Elric blinked, eyeing Tobias (who had fluttered over, his feathers rather ruffled and an annoyed expression on his beaked face) with a new light in his golden eyes.

"Hey, you guys, couldn't we have Tobias lead us out of the forest?" Elric suggested. There was a moment of silence as Ven and I considered this proposition.

"Oh yeah," I said, feeling extremely stupid.

"And this is where I face palm," Ven growled, shaking his head in clear exasperation. I just grinned at him, feeling suddenly giddy again.

"Hey, cheer up. Sure, we got lost, but we got to see a Legendary Pokémon! On your birthday, too! You'll remember turning sixteen for the rest of your life," I declared in a rather grandiose fashion, while discretely signaling for Tobias to get a move on so we could get out of here. The regal hawk let out a disgruntled huff before taking off, while Ven and Elric exchanged glances.

"I'm sure he will," Elric said slowing, smirking at Ven, who smirked back.

"Definitely," drawled the darker haired boy, and I got the distinct feeling that they were making fun of me. Annoyed, I stamped my foot.

"Hey, cut that out you two. C'mon, let's get outta here." A half hour later we had successfully navigated out of the forest, the sun no longer inhibited by the dense foliage.

"Freedom!" Elric said dramatically, and I scowled. Ven just shook his head at our ridiculous antics. However, I could tell he was very happy with the attention that we'd lavished on him today, although he'd probably die before admitting it. I slung my arms around both of their shoulders upon returning Tobias, feeling content.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, eh you two?" I said glibly.

"Get off me," was Ven's flat response, while Elric wiggled his eyebrows at me in a clearly perverted fashion. Laughing, I shoved my red-headed friend away before glancing at Ven, letting my arms drop.

"My goal is still to get you to smile." I grinned and gave him a thumbs up. It had been my goal for as long as I could remember, and was part of the reason I acted like such a klutzy ditz. And also because I _was_ a klutzy ditz, but regardless, it always made me happy to make Ven, who seemed so sad and lonely at times, happy.

"Meh, good luck with that," Ven said with a shrug.

"Happy Birthday, Ven," I said warmly, letting the previous topic drop as quickly as it had been brought up. Elric came up, clapping his buddy on the shoulder.

"Yeah, mate. We said it before, but Happy Birthday," he told his friend with brilliant grin. Ven didn't say anything, just shrugged off Elric's hand and turned away, but I thought I could see a hint of a genuine smile on his face. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

But in any case, the three of us headed back to town, content for the moment with the ending of such a wonderful day.

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**Author's Note: So yeah. I realize it's not as good as it could've been, but I was in a rush to finish it on time, and I think I did a pretty decent job portraying two of the greatest friends in the world (or at least on the site, haha). So, a shout out to the birthday boy, Stabberz, who was Ven in the story and is now sixteen (A year and a week younger than me, haha), and to my buddy, Dobby (known as Geta-Boushi Dobby-San), who was Elric. We've been friends for, what, almost two years now? Anyway, I love ya both (as friends), and hope that Stabby has an awesome RL birthday.**

**~Dragoon **


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